The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-22
Tux 1T. LOUIS GkeCERS.
THEIR CASE HEARD BY THE IN
TkRSTATE COMxISSION.
Tennessee Coal Men File q Complaint
Againt the Z. T., Y. and q.
Railroad Company.

st. Louis sgsinst the Missouri Pacific
railroad was heard to-day. The grocers
were represented by Jacob Furth,
PRECEDENT OF the Association, w. E.
schweppe, secretary; ]. X. Hayward
and Z. Z. Kelley. There were pres
ent also committee Of the New York
Board Of Trade and Q representation
Of the merchants for the Bureau,
New York representing Q large mum.
Der Of retail merchants In various
parts Of the West These parties make
common cause with the g.. Louis
grocers In respect Of the complaint,
namely: The practice Of the railroads
la charging more upon less than ear
load then upon full carload.
Mr.. John 8. Blair, Of this city, sp.
pearsd 20 attorney for the Missouri
Pacific, and several Of the officers OF
the road were present as witnesses.
W. II. Newman, general trs fRc man.
ager, was sworn and examined by Mr..
hsyw chairman OF the grocers'
committee. In response to very ex.
tended series OF questions, witness dc.
scibed the manner Of the loading and
handling Of ireights In detail aud in
bulk and the respective costs, profits
and expenses thereon.
The hearing was continued until 9
O'Clock. II was a tedious, rambling
procedure throughout, owing to the
inexpertness Of the grocers in present
Ing their case. Notwithstanding the
aid charitabIy given by the commits
sion and the vide latitude permitted,
msoy points Of undoubted importance
were so buried In q macs OF Irrelevant,
hypotheucal and the retical matter
that the work Of sifdng must be un-
taken.
4 ID. Kelly, secretary Of the Mer-
chants Exchange Transportation Blu
reau, OF 81. Louir, wa, the sec Ind and
last witness. At s 80 o'clock the pre-.
cesdings were interrupted for q mo-
msnt 10 permit the New York psople
10 present their case.
Mr. Tnurber, on behalf OF the COM
mission Of which he 10 chairman, said to
the commission that the question was
much broader than II would appear to
be ~ locally presented bv the 81.
LOUIS people on their traffic west oil
81. Louis. The trunk line class flea.
ton, since the enactment Of the inter
state law, he said, largely Increased
the number Of articles upon which
difiersntial rates are imposed when
shipped In less than car lots. Sub
stantially the same Determinations are
thus made in favor Of the LARGE ship
psrs, which were formally made BY
means OF rebates and draw hacks, and
which the interstate commere Law VA
designed to prevent These circum
stances are greatly aggravated a
Of at 81. Louis. More than bali OF III,
cars Of the trunk lines 70 wet empty
and no csuse exis,s for such dscrimi
nation. He asked tina, the question
be not decided I'LL the commission
should have had time TO hear an,
consider IL In oil its besringr. /
touched the very foundation Of raj
woiking principles, and 1, would b,
bettsr 10 postpone its decision until
aulumn rather than decide h sstily. III
flied q very comprehensive printed
petition upon 'he subject.
Mr.. T. K. Greene, mansger Of tn
Mefchants Bureau, representing %
retail merchants In the West, msde
similar request and also fled printe'
petitions.
The Arguments upon the case by tb
81. Louis people and the defendAn
will take place tomorrow.
Ths folio sing 10 q summary OF IN
memorial presented 10 the Comm,
sion by the New York Board OF Trad
and Tansp irtstion: Complaint
made that the new system OF clEssIf
cation adopted By the seaboard trun
lines and their western connection
discriminates uni istly sgsins, sma
shippers by placing less ihan Car los
quan tiles In O higher class than ca
loIds. By eecond class Il alto
slight changes wers made, but nc
enoug1 TO NEE; the wishes Of Ne,
York merchants.
Tas differences In rates from Ne,
York 10 CDlcago are poiniei on
showing that the d,ffere CO In III
rates On car loads and less than ca
loids Of sugar, coli 20 and rice Ia 40 p.
cent on canned goods and mo asee
IL Ger cent. on prunes In barrels {
ca-ks, b6t per cent; on pTunes
boxes or kegs, ll6i per cent. on hsI
20 per cent. Attention Ia called 10 th
TACT that upon stsples Of other trad,
! the difference between car leads do,
not of,en exceed l6f per cent. Tn
complaint Ia that uniform rates al
, not established.
! A number Of presidents are quote
, 10 show the railroads owe by Law puI
lie duty, and should be made 81
Justice 10 merchant shippers. II
claimed that more than half OF n
! west.bound trains are handled en- 2,,
, owing 10 unjust rstes
The letter concludes. 1--WE clali
that the classification OF the trun
J lines and their connections violal,
| WV BtbNtrtohn VI Aut lnltfnlMkt GD0
. merce law, and We ask:
| "First-A return 10 the old wes
! bound classification which did not d.
, eliminate against shipments OF le
, than CARLOADS; or,
0 second-lf, alter considering the sul
! ect. your commission decides hat III
: would be unreasonable and that n
! public nature Of the business do
. not justify % wide a departure irol
}. the principle Of wholesale ard re'a
9 the toll road, and the poet flee, at
a the custom house, that y1u will 70
!. ommend the establishment Of reaso
4 able differences, dehne them, OF
!. where q doubt exists AZ 10 what IL 70
I sonable. that the small shippers wi
constitute the vast majohty by who
0 votes the franchises we're given ind
Q which the railroads exIs, and a
operated, be given the benefit Of ID
doubt"
rHxsssRRASs COMPLAIN.
The Interstate Oommerce UommI